Burling table



Jan. 18, 1938. H. w. BIRCH BURLING TABLE Filed July 24, 1936 2Sheets-Sheet l m d WWW ....d m T O L b Jan. 18, 1938. w, cH 2,105,715

BURLING TABLE Filed July 24, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FigZ.

lnvenTor. Horcfld W. Birch Patented Jan. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES FATEFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a burling table such as is used for inspectingcloth, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide an improvedhurling table which is constructed so that the di- 3, rection ofmovement of the cloth over the inspection table canbe reversed so as tobring back onto the inspection table some portion of the cloth which hasonce been drawn over said table but which the operator desires tore-inspect.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved and simplifiedmeans for controlling the operation of the machine.

A further object is to provide a burling machine with an inspectionboard having a belly-board at its upper edge over which the cloth isdrawn as it is fed to the table so that the cloth will come onto theinspection table in a smooth condition free from wrinkles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a burling table with acloth-receiving truck element ontowhich the cloth is deposited after ithas been inspected, the truck element being constructed so that it canreadily be trundled away from the machine to convey the inspected clothto any desired location.

Further objects of the invention are to improve generally cloth burlingtables of this type in the particulars hereinafter set forth.

In the, drawings;

30 Fig. 1 is a side view with parts broken out showing a burling tableembodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view looking from the right in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectionon the line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig. 3 but showing the action of theone-Way driving connection in reversing the direction of the roller 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View showing the frictional drag on the roller IQThe machine comprises a suitable supporting frame I on which is mountedthe inspection board Zover which the cloth 3 to be inspected is fed,said cloth preferably being fed downwardly over the inspection boardfrom the top to the bottom as shown by the arrow a. This inspectionboard is .15 preferably made with a transparent portion of 7 groundglass or similar material and with means for illuminating thetransparent portion 4 from the back side. With this illumination back ofthe cloth any imperfections therein such as mispicks, knots,,slubs, etc.showup very plainly and can be easily detected.

Any suitable means for illuminating the window portion 4 of theinspection board may be em ployed, and as herein shown there is provideda box-likecasing 5 beneath the inspection board within which is locatedelectric lights 6. The interior of the casing 5 may be provided with alight-reflecting surface to increase the illumination of the cloth.

The cloth 3 is led to the inspection board over 6 a guide roll 1 whichis mounted in suitable bearings l0 and which also acts as a reversingroll, as will be presently described, and thence over a belly-board 8 atthe top edge of the inspection board. The purpose of the belly-board isto smooth out any wrinkles in the cloth so that it will be delivered tothe inspection board in a smooth condition free from wrinkles.

The cloth is drawn downwardly over the inspection board by means of afeed roll 9 whichris rotatably mounted and is situated beneath and inthe rear of the inspection board 2. The feed roller 9 is power-drivenand any suitable means for rotating it may be employed. In theconstruction herein shown I have provided a motor 0 ill for this purposewhich is mounted on the frame and which is connected through a suitablegear-reducing mechanism I I to a shaft l2 carrying a pulley 13 which isbelted by means of a driving belt M to a pulley IE on the shaft l6 ofthe feed roll 9.

Situated at the lower edge of the inspection board 2 are two guiderollers IT and I 8 which direct the cloth in its movement from the loweredge of the inspection board to the feed roller 9.

I9 indicates a plaiting or cloth-folding device through which the clothpasses as it is delivered from. the feed roll 9 and which folds thecloth in a pile, as shown at in Fig. 1.

The plaiter is of the usual type comprising a box-like structure throughwhich the cloth passes and which is pivotally mounted to oscillate backand forth. This plaiter is shown as being supported on arms 2i that arepivotally mounted on the shaft l5, and it is given its oscillatingmovement through a link 22 which is pivoted at one end to one of thearms 2| and at the other end to a crank pin 23 carried by a crank disk24. The crank disk is driven from the shaft I6 for which purpose saiddisk is in the form of a sprocket wheel having teeth which mesh with asprocket chain 25 that encircles and is driven by a sprocket wheel 26 onthe shaft IS.

The inspection board 2 is mounted so that it can be placed in differentangular positions to suit the convenience of the operator, and for thispurpose said inspection board is pivotally connected at its lower end tothe frame I as shown at 27 and it is held in the desired angularposition by means of brace members 28 which are pivoted movement of thecloth.

' so that when the cloth is surface at their upper ends to theinspection board as shown at 2%, and at the lower end have notches 38,one of which is adapted to engage a pin 3| carried by the frame. Bybringing the different notches 38 into engagement with the pin 3| theinspection board can be set at different angular positions.

I have referred above to the guide roll I over which the cloth is fed asit is delivered to the inspection board. This roll 1 is constructed sothat it also functions as a reverse roll for drawing the clothbackwardly over the inspection board whenever it is desired to reversethe direction of For this purpose said roll i is provided with afriction surface such as would be given by covering the roll withsandpaper, emery cloth or the like and is constructed being fedforwardly, as shown by arrows in Fig. 1, said roll acts merely as anidler which is turned by the movement of the cloth. When, however, it isdesired to reverse the direction of movement of the cloth then the motorit is reversed which will result in reversing the direction of movementof the feed roll 9, and at the same time the roll I is connected to thefeed roll 9 so as to be rotated positively in a reverse direction, thesurface speed of the roll 7 in its reverse movement being slightlygreater than the surface speed of the roll 9 so that the roll "I willnot only draw the cloth backwardly over the inspection board but willkeep the cloth under tension.

The roll I is formed with an annular brake 32 which is partiallyencircled by a brake band 33, one end of the latter being secured to afixed arm 34 and the other having a weight 35 attached thereto. Aretarding drag is thus given to the roll I, and as said roller isrotated counter-clockwise Fig. 1 while the cloth is being fed forwardlydue to the friction engagement of the cloth with the friction surface ofthe roller the retarding drag on the roller serves to apply sufficienttension to the cloth between the guide roll 1 and the feed roll 9 sothat the cloth will lie flatly against the inspection board.

For reversing the direction of movement of the guide roll 1 when thedirection of rotation of the feed roll 9 is reversed there is provided aoneway driving connection between the feed roll 9 and the roll I, whichone-way driving connection is inoperative when the feed roll 9 is movingforward but which becomes automatically operative when the direction ofrotation of the feed roll 9 is reversed.

The shaft it of the feed roll 9 has a pulley 35 fast thereon which isconnected by a crossed belt 3? with a pulley 38 that is loose on theshaft 39 of the roll '3. The one-way driving connection herein showncomprises a collar 4i) fast on the shaft se of the roll 1 and providedwith a plurality of laterally-extending clutch projections ii, and a dog.2 pivoted at 43 to one side of the pulley 33 and cooperating withsaidprojections 41 to drive the roll 1 in a reversed direction whileallowing said roll to rotate freely in. a forward direction. The feedroll 9 and the combination guide roll and reversing roll I are shown ashaving the same diameter, but the pulley 38 is slightly smaller than thepulley 36 so that the pulley 38 will have a higher R. P. M. than thepulley 3S and the feed drum 9.

When the cloth is being fed forwardly the shaft 39 and collar to arerotating in the direction of the arrow 1) in Fig. 3 and the pulley 38 isalso rotating in the same direction as indicated by the arrow .0. Thepulley 38, however, has a slightly higher R. P. M. than the shaft 39 sothat the dog 42 keeps overtaking and passing the pins 4!. As this dog:32 overtakes and passes any pin 4% it will simply click over the pin,it being understood that the roll I is being moved forwardly in thedirection of the arrow b only as fast as the cloth is being fed.

If, now, the motor 10 is reversed, thereby reversing the direction ofthe feed roll 9, this operation will result in reversing the directionof rotation of the pulley 38, since said pulley is belted to the pulley35 which is rigid with the feed roll 9. When this reversal takes placethe pulley 38 will be rotated in the direction of the arrow (1 in Fig. 4and the fiat face M of the dog G2 will be brought into contact with oneof the pins 4|. The stop 63 prevents turning movement of the dog at thistime so that the rotation of the pulley 35 is transmitted to the shaftto and to the roll I, thus positively rotating the roll I in a" reversedirection. Inasmuch as the driving connection between the rolls 7 and 9is such that the pulley 38 will be rotated at a slightly higher R. P. M.than the roll 9 the result is that the roll I, when it is reversed, hasa greater surface speed than the roll 9. During the reverse movement ofthe roll 9 it picks up the cloth from the pile 2E! and when thedirection of movement of the roll I is reversed the latter then becomesa feed roll which draws the cloth backwardly over the inspection board.Due to the fact that the roll I is rotating at a slightly greatersurface speed than the roll 9 the cloth will thus be held under tensionbetween the rolls l. and Q and will be held flat against the inspectionboard. When the roll 1 is thus reversely rotated the friction betweenthe brake band 33 and the brake surface 32 tends to lift the weight 35,thereby relieving the braking or dragging action of the brake band. Themotor 10 is controlled by a suitable reversing switch indicateddiagrammatically at 45 and I have provided simple means herein by whichthe operator can control the switch by a knee movement. The switch 45has a connection 46 which is pivotally connected to the lower end of anarm il rigid with a shaft 48 that extends across the machine at thelower edge of the inspection board and is mounted in suitable bearings.Fast on the shaft is a handle 49 by which the shaft may be turned toactuate the switch 45 through the connecting member 46.

5!) designates a knee-board which extends across the front of themachine and is supported on two arms 5! that are pivotally mounted onthe shaft 48, this board being at the right height so that the operatorcan readily press against it with his knee. 52 indicates a latch bywhich one of the arms 5! can be latched to the arm 41 so that when theknee-board 50 is pressed inwardly an inward movement will becommunicated to the arm 4'! and connection 45 to operate the switch 45,thereby to close the motor circuit. This latch 52 is shown as pivoted at53 to the arm 5!, and it is provided with a notch 54 adapted to receivea pin 55 carried by the arm 41.

When the latch is in its operative position shown in Fig. 1 then theknee-board 5% is coupled to the arm 4'! so that the switch i-5 may beoperated to close the motor circuit by pressing the knee-board inwardlyinto the dotted line position, Fig. 1, and it will be necessary for theoperator to maintain the pressure against the knee-board in order tohold the motor circuit closed. When the operator releases the pressureon the kneeboard it will gravitate into the full line position, Fig. 1,thereby opening the motor circuit. If it is desired to reverse the motorthe operator grasps the handle 49 and moves the latter inwardly into thedotted line position, Fig. 1, thereby moving the connection 46outwardly. The belly board 8 is operative to remove any wrinkles fromthe cloth when the latter is being fed backwardly by the reversing roll1 as well as when the cloth is being moved forwardly by the feed roll 9.

56 indicates a truck on which the cloth is received as it is deliveredfrom the folder IS. The frame I is open on one side so that the truckcan be run into the frame and placed in position to receive the cloth asshown in Fig. l, and when the full length of cloth has been deliveredonto the truck the latter may be withdrawn from the frame I, as shown bydotted lines, and trundled to any location where it is desirable todeliver the cloth. At the two sides of the frame I adjacent the openside through which the truck passes as it is placed in thecloth-receiving position or removed therefrom, the corner posts of theframe are connected by the members 58 which serve as guides for thetruck as it is being trundled into cloth-receiving position,

When it is desired to remove the truck 56 the latch 52 may bedisconnected from the pin 55, thereby freeing the knee-board so that thelatter may be swung out of the way of the truck and the load of cloththereon. When the latch is disconnected the switch may be operatedentirely by hand if desired.

While I have shown a selected embodiment of my invention I do not wishto be limited to the constructional features shown as various changesmay be made without departing from the invention.

I claim:

1. A burling table comprising a supporting frame, an inspection boardcarried thereby, a feed roll for feeding cloth forwardly over theinspection board, a guide roll over which the cloth passes as it travelsto the inspection board, means to rotate the feed roll either forwardlyor backwardly, and a one-way driving connection between the feed rolland the guide roll which is operative when the feed roll is rotatedbackwardly and is non-operative when the feed roll rotates forwardly.

2. A burling table comprising a supporting frame, an inspection boardcarried thereby, a feed roll for feeding cloth forwardly over theinspection board, a guide roll over which the cloth passes as it travelsto the inspection board, means to rotate the feed roll either forwardlyor backwardly, and acne-way driving connection between the feed roll andthe guide roll which permits the guide roll torotate freely forwardly byfrictional engagement with the cloth when the feed roll is rotatingforwardly and which positively rotates the guide roll backwardly whenthe feed roll is rotated backwardly.

3. A burling table comprising a supporting frame, an inspection boardcarried thereby, a feed roll for feeding cloth forwardly over theinspection board, a guide roll over which the cloth passes as it travelsto the inspection board, means to rotate the feed roll either forwardlyor backwardly, and a one-way driving connection between the feed rolland the guide roll which permits the guide roll to rotate freelyforwardly by frictional engagement with the cloth when the feed roll isrotating forwardly and which positively rotates the guide rollbackwardly at a surface speed greater than that of the feed roll whenthe latter is rotated backwardly.

4. A burling table comprising a supporting frame, an inspection boardmounted thereon, a feed roll for feeding cloth over the inspectiontable, means to rotate the feed roll either backwardly or forwardly, aguide roll over which the cloth passes as it travels to the inspectionboard, said guide roll receiving its forward rotation by frictionalengagement with the cloth, means to apply a braking drag to the guideroll during its forward movement, and means to rotate the guide rollpositively in a reverse direction when the feed roll is reverselyrotated.

5. A burling table comprising a supporting frame, an inspection boardmounted thereon, a feed roll for feeding cloth over the inspectiontable, means to rotate the feed roll either backwardly or forwardly, aguide roll over which the cloth passes as it travels to the inspectionboardv said guide roll receiving its forward rotation by frictionalengagement with the cloth, means to apply a braking drag to the guideroll during its forward movement, and means to rotate the guide rollpositively in a reverse direction when the feed roll is reverselyrotated but at a greater surface speed than the feed roll.

6. A burling table comprising a supporting frame, an inspection boardmounted thereon, a feed roll for drawing the cloth over the inspectionboard, a motor for operating the feed roll, a switch for controlling themotor, and a knee-board pivotally hung at the front of the machine andadapted to be actuated by the operators knee and by which the switch isoperated.

7. A burling table comprising a supporting frame, an inspection boardmounted thereon, a feed roll for drawing cloth over the inspectionboard, a reversible motor for operating the feed roll, a switch forcontrolling the motor, a manually operated handle for controlling theswitch, a swinging knee-board at the front of the machine adapted to beactuated by the operators knee, and a latch for connecting saidknee-board to said manually operated control handle.

8. A burling table comprising a supporting frame, an inspection boardcarried thereby, a feed roll for feeding cloth forwardly over theinspection board, a guide roll over which the cloth passes as it travelsto the inspection board, means to apply a braking action to said guideroll, means to rotate the feed roll either forwardly or backwardlythereby to feed the cloth either forwardly or backwardly, and a one-waydriving connection between the feed roll and the guide roll which isoperative when the feed roll is rotated backwardly and is non-operativewhen the feed roll rotates forwardly.

HAROLD W. BIRCH.

